Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. G. GHRISTMAN WASHING 1114011111113.

No. 444,421. PatentedJ an. 13, 1891.

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G Y (z o i /C Z i I 5 f3 F 5 i I f k f WITNESSES (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. G. OHRISTMAN. WASHING MACHINE.

No. 444,421. Patented Jan. 13, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS G. CHRISTMAN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,421, dated January13, 1891.

Application filed September 23, 1889. Serial No. 324,721. I (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS G. CHRIST- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWashing-Machines; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarkedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates particularly to vertical washing-machines havingrotary agitators.

The main feature consists in the peculiar operating mechanism employed,whereby the body of the agitatorshaft is adapted to readily slide up anddown in the machine-cover to accommodate different quantities ofclothing in the tub without at all interfering with the rotation of theagitator or producing undesirable clatter and lost motion. This andother features of the invention are fully de scribed herein.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a washing-machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the cross-head end of theagitator-shaft. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine partly in section.

The tub A is preferably circular in form, and is provided with posts a,extending from the bottom of the tub to the top flange a, on which thecover D rests. They are some distance away from the wall of the tub, yetarranged to clear the pear-shaped wings I) of the agitator B, whichwings extend below and outward from a central disk and have openingscorresponding in shape with the general outline of the wings. Theagitator, as well as its shaft 0, is preferably constructed of wood, inorder to avoid the use of metal in direct contact with the contents ofthe machine when in operation, and the shaft, which is preferably ofuniform circular section throughout its length, passes upward throughthe cover D *and a bevel Wheel E, and has clamped to its upper end, bymeans of bolts 0 which pass through the shaft, bars 0 c, which thus,form a cross-head on the end of the shaft, the slots 0 of which engageguides 6 projecting inwardly from the vertical faces of a yoke e, whichyoke forms a part of the wheel E and rotates with it. The hub of thewheel E is loose on the shaft 0 and is supported in a bearing (1 securedto the top of the cover D. The upper end of the yoke eis provided with ajournal 0, which passes through a bearing cl of a standard d, secured tothe cover. This same standard is also provided with a bearing d whichsupports one end of a right-angular shaft g, to which are secured theoperating-lever G and bevel-wheel g. The other end of this shaft passesthrough a separate standard h. In order to maintain the bevel-wheels inproper gear, a stop-piece h is adjustably secured to a shelf h of thestandard h, and is used to set the wheel g to its proper position.Heretofore stop-pieces have been provided for this purpose; but theyhave been secured to the wooden cover of the tub instead of to a specialshelf provided on the standard. The advantage of my construction is thatthe stop-piece is when adjusted practically solid with the bearing forthe shaft in which the wheelis supported, and is also moresatisfactorily adjusted and firmly secured.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a rotary agitator which iscapable of axial movement, and I do not broadly claim such aconstruction, though I do not, on the other hand, limit myself to theexact construction herein described, my invention being specifically setforth in the following claims.

What I claim is 1. In a washing-machine, the combination, with the coverand the agitator-shaft provided with a cross-head c, of bevel-wheel E,having guide-yoke extension e, with top journal 6', standard cl, withbearings cl and d bevel-wheel g, and operating-lever on a shaft g andstandard 72, with adjustable stop h all substantially as set forth.

2. In a washing-machine, the verticallyinovable rotary scrubber-shaftpassing loosely through the cover and Lhrongh a gear-wheel I Intestimony whereof Iaffix my signature in supported thereon and guidedvertically by presence of two Witnesses.

and also rotated within an extension 0 of T V w T l l i 1 Y said wheel,substantially as described, in AUGL' SIDS CHRIS MAN combination with alever mechanism for 10- Witnesses:

tating said gear-wheel, and a top bearing for V. G. STEWART.

said extension, all substantially as set forth. ED. A. KELLY.

